[mosesburb]

Originally Posted by LockDoc

No matter how you clean them you need to re-coat them with a protectant. Here is some info I found on the net...

To protect tires, manufactures add a wax compound to reduce ozone and water damage. The wax is designed to sit at the surface of the tire and form a protective barrier between ozone and water, and the tire rubber. The wax only moves to the surface, when the tires flex. This happens every time you drive, and is called “blooming”. Cars that sit for extended periods of time don’t experience blooming, and are unprotected against ozone. Combined with UV light, drying, discoloration and cracking begin very rapidly.

The solution is tire dressings. Tire dressings are designed to protect the tire, restore essential moisture, and condition the rubber.

This is why it is important to use a quality tire dressing. You want a dressing that not only provides UV protection, but also is devoid of chemicals such as petroleum distillates.

Recommended Dressings: Lexol Viynlex, Aerospace 303, Pinnacle Rubber Protectant, Zaino Z-16, and Meguiars Endurance.

LockDoc

That is some great information there Leon. I have wondered about that because around here tires start cracking long before they are worn out. I have talked with tire guys and they claim tires are made the same as they used to be, but I don't remember tires age cracking as quickly, say, even ten years ago. <dunno>